Rental Yield Calculator
Understanding Rental Yield for Real Estate Investing
Rental yield is a critical metric for real estate investors to evaluate the potential return on a property investment. It measures the annual rental income generated by an asset as a percentage of its total purchase price or market value.
Gross Yield vs. Net Yield
There are two primary ways to calculate yield:
- Gross Rental Yield: This is the simplest calculation. It takes your total annual rent and divides it by the purchase price. It does not account for expenses like taxes, maintenance, or vacancies.
- Net Rental Yield: This is a more accurate reflection of your actual return. It subtracts all operating expenses (maintenance, insurance, management fees, and vacancy allowances) from the annual income before dividing by the purchase price.
The Formulas
Net Yield = ([Annual Rent – Annual Expenses] / Purchase Price) x 100
Practical Example
Imagine you purchase a property for $400,000. You rent it out for $2,000 per month ($24,000 annually). Your annual expenses (property tax, insurance, and basic repairs) total $5,000.
- Gross Yield: ($24,000 / $400,000) = 6.00%
- Net Yield: ($24,000 – $5,000) / $400,000 = 4.75%
What is a "Good" Rental Yield?
While "good" is subjective and depends on the location, most seasoned investors aim for a net rental yield between 5% and 8%. In high-demand metropolitan areas, yields may be lower (3-4%) because investors expect higher capital appreciation (the property value increasing over time). Conversely, in regional or "riskier" areas, investors typically demand higher yields to compensate for lower growth potential.
Using this calculator helps you strip away the emotion of a property purchase and look strictly at the financial performance of the asset.